


Wrap It in Care

by Kisuru



Category: Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha | Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-14 16:12:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17511782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kisuru/pseuds/Kisuru
Summary: Nanoha cares about the wounds Fate has.





	Wrap It in Care

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Seika](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seika/gifts).



In front of Nanoha, Fate winced and gripped Bardiche around the staff, the wound on her side coming to haunt her now that the battle adrenaline eased and the threat had been eliminated.  
  
“Are you alright, Sir?” Bardiche asked, metallic voice stern as ever.  
  
“No problem,” Fate said.  
  
But it wasn’t to Nanoha. Bardiche read heat signals and emotions and many other things – but despite his devotion to his master, he couldn’t see what Nanoha did, feel the human equivalent of emotion that was wavering concern and hurt.  
  
The wound wasn’t life threatening. But it was perfectly capable of being a reminder that there were enemies in the universe that hurt Fate beyond Nanoha’s control.  
  
It was so ordinary. Routine. Even Nanoha had scars she wasn’t thinking about. But she couldn’t help it. She hated it when she wasn’t able to do enough for Fate.  
  
“I’m sorry, Fate-chan,” Nanoha said. Her heart beat faster, and she bit her lip.  
  
“For what?” Fate said, puzzled. She reached into her pocket, pulled out a handkerchief, placed it on the wound. “You didn’t do anything. It was my fault for jumping in too soon. Let me wrap this and we can go back to the ship.”  
  
Nanoha was tempted to reach out, but Fate’s reaction instantaneously played in her mind’s eye. Shying away, wanting to do it herself to show she could take care of herself and everyone around her.  
  
Fate wiped away the small trail of blood on her skin, and she applied the ointment and bandage to the bruise and scratch on her side. Her Barrier Jacket had been ripped in the process, but that wasn’t anything that couldn’t be immediately fixed. The fact it had been, though… Luckily, Nanoha didn’t have to worry about Fate from there, because the medical team would do the rest.  
  
Nanoha watched with a wary expression, but she didn’t want to be too intrusive; Fate had her own pride to deal with. Her eyes wandered to the barren landscape around them, the enemies fallen around them. She had to phone in the report.  
  
Nanoha didn’t do that until Fate had everything under control. Her thoughts raced, and she didn’t know how to stop it. The one thing that assuaged Nanoha’s anxiety was Fate smiling face, which Fate showed her not too long afterwards.  
  
It was a hazard of the occupation. Still.  
  
With every passing day, Nanoha wanted to be at Fate’s side. It was the reason she requested missions with Fate on the chances they were able to be together and take a break from their different career tracks. Soon, things would be even more hectic for them, and she wanted to spend every moment together before then. She wanted to avoid Fate’s pain like this. But even with her there, Fate still didn’t indulge every bit of pampering she gave her, and she noticed that she tried to do more the older they grew.  
  
Wounds were bandages of honor for a mage, and Fate wasn’t any different.  
  
Based Nanoha’s observation, Fate fell into a pit-trap no matter the obstacles or help she received. The majority of the TSAB mages worked together, but when she wasn’t paying attention, Fate preferred carrying burdens on her shoulders.  
  
One of the best, and ultimately the worst, qualities about Fate was her penchant for putting herself in the line of danger. In all fairness, Nanoha couldn’t deny her duty to protect people was less reckless, but she never enjoyed seeing Fate in pain.  
  
Fate put her life second.  
  
She wasn’t afraid to attack all-out.  
  
Nanoha had never lost sight of Fate’s voracious need to learn all she could about illegal activities, change the tide of devastation on victims  – she had been attracted to the steadfast seriousness in her eyes ever since they first met.  
  
Despite Lindy’s best efforts to shower her with love and affection and ease her need to overwork herself, Fate was naturally dedicated and bound to protecting.  
  
More than anything, Nanoha wanted to be there for her in a… non-abstract way.  She wanted to be there, physically, even though she always stood at her side. Her feelings didn’t quite make sense but they did. It was a difficult pill to swallow but she was determined to see it to fruition.  
  
Time and time again she saw Fate do her best. While she was always there, she wanted to touch her, feel her as well…  
  
Her thoughts always drifted when she imagined Fate standing tall and proud.  
  
“Is that going to be okay?” Nanoha finally asked, indicating the bandage.  
  
Fate shrugged. “I have it covered.”  
  
“But we have to fly back to the base,” Nanoha reasoned. “What if it unfastens in the wind and falls in the dust?”  
  
“No, really,” Fate said, shaking her head, “I’ve dealt with worse.”  
  
Lately, she had fallen into the habit of letting Fate have her way, but Nanoha wasn’t taking that for an answer now.  
  
Nanoha reached in her hair. She untied the pink ribbon. She placed a hand on Fate’s arm. Carefully, she wrapped the ribbon around the bandage, knotted it, and made sure the ribbon was secure. Her lips touched the edge of the bandage where a touch of blood shown through.  
  
“Eh…” Fate blushed, closing off, pulling her arm away. She didn’t seem upset, though. “I’m not a kid anymore.”  
  
“Who said anything about that? Kisses aren’t only for kids with injuries.” Nanoha smiled, and she was surprised she able to say it with a straight face, because some emotion welled up within her, a fierce one of happiness and tenderness. “There, I won’t have to worry.”  
  
She didn’t know why, but she was… relieved. The tension in her chest unloosened and the bubbling in her stomach increased. Her lips tingled, and she licked them reflectively, never wanting to let go of that feeling.  
  
“Let’s go!”  
  
Nanoha leapt into the hair, cradling Raising Heart. The hot winds tossed the collar of her barrier jacket as she rose and flew into one of the dry current.  
  
“Ah, wait! Nanoha!”  
  
Nanoha laughed. She didn’t look back, but she knew Fate was following along at her heels. She had enough happiness knowing she had done something to make her comfortable in the weather.  
  
No matter how she could to do it, she wanted to be the bind that kept Fate loved and safe and free of suffering.


End file.
